Disney’s Animal Kingdom has a rare new resident at Jumping Junction. Quartz, a wallaby joey born with albinism, now shares the Conservation Station habitat with the park’s mob of kangaroos and wallabies. Her snow-white fur and pink eyes make her stand out from every other marsupial in the habitat, and Disney is inviting guests to look for her on their next visit.
Rare Albino Wallaby Joey ‘Quartz’ Debuts at Animal Kingdom’s Jumping Junction
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- Who Quartz is and what Disney shared about her arrival.
- Why albinism makes a wallaby joey so rare.
- Where to find Jumping Junction during your visit.
Jumping Junction replaced the Affection Section at Conservation Station this spring, giving the park’s kangaroos and wallabies a walk-through home. The habitat opened alongside the Bluey’s Wild World takeover as a nod to the show’s Australian roots. Now its newest resident is the easiest animal in the mob to pick out.
Disney says Quartz is the newest wallaby joey at Jumping Junction. The team introduced her with a short note on what sets her apart: “Born with albinism, Quartz’s rare appearance makes her one of a kind at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”
Disney’s photos of Quartz show her peeking out of a pouch with white fur, pink eyes, and a pink nose. The adult wallaby carrying her has the brown coat you’ll see across the rest of the mob, so the contrast is striking. Other photos show Quartz out on her own, nosing through the sand and ferns of the habitat. She looks steady on her feet and curious about everything around her.
What Makes Quartz So Rare
Albinism is a recessive trait. Disney explains that an animal has to inherit the genetic mutation from both parents to be born with it, which means both of Quartz’s parents carry the mutation. That rare pairing is what makes her arrival special.
Albinism limits pigment, which is why Quartz has white fur and pink eyes instead of the darker coloring of her mob. For guests, that makes her easy to spot from anywhere along the path. Disney adds that Quartz gets dedicated care from the animal care team and continues to be a happy, healthy joey.
Where to Find Quartz at Animal Kingdom
Jumping Junction sits at Conservation Station, and guests reach it by riding the Wildlife Express Train from Harambe Station in Africa. The habitat is home to red kangaroos, western grey kangaroos, and red-necked wallabies, also known as Bennett’s wallabies. When we walked the habitat during its limited soft opening in June, animal care Cast Members led small groups along a paved path. The kangaroos and wallabies roamed freely around us, and touching them was off limits.
Keep Reading
- Our first-hand walk through Jumping Junction covers the house rules, the species inside, and what the guided path feels like up close.
- Disney’s plans to open Jumping Junction to all guests explain how the animal care team is easing the kangaroos and wallabies into sharing their space.
- What Jumping Junction is, and how it replaced the Affection Section, from our first look at the habitat in May.
- Our first look at Bluey’s Wild World walks through the games, the Wildlife Express Train ride, and everything else waiting at Conservation Station.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!